Friends Forever
by ScribblesTheVixen
Summary: Tony and Rhodey weren't always the best of friends. They don't get along at first, but could time change that? Find out how these friends first met.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I'm back with more IMAA. This is a pretty cool story in my opinion. It's all about Tony and Rhodey and that means no Pepperony! Well maybe a tiny bit..Who knows?**

 **This should be a pretty long story with like 11 or more chapters. Lets hope I can do it. Oh, and sorry about the horrible title. I mean _Friends Forever?_ I know it could be better, but it will make sense on why I used it at the end of this story.**

 **So here is chapter 1 and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I...I can't say it.**

 **Tony: Say it.**

 **Me: I just can't!**

 **Tony: You are writing about my mother and know it's a sensitive topic..shall I go on?**

 **Me: *Sighs* No, i'll just say it. IMAA is NOT mine!**

* * *

It was a Wednesday morning.

Rhodey woke up feeling very cranky. It was a normal thing since he was only three years old, but he felt extra cranky today. Slowly, he slipped off the covers and left the bed. The boy then opened the door and light came pouring in.

"Morning, James. How'd you sleep?"

Rhodey looked up to see his mother, Roberta Rhodes, walking towards him with a smile that he could not mirror even if he tried really hard.

"Go away!" said the boy. "I'm cwanky!"

Mrs. Rhodes only chuckled at her sons' behavior. "You look very cranky. Maybe a nice bath will wash that away." She opened up her arms so he could be lifted up, but Rhodey was not pleased. He crossed his arm in an annoyed manner and stuck out his tongue.

"No way! I don't wanna bath!"

She shook her head and picked him up against his will. "Well after your bath and breakfast, you get to come with mommy to work today."

The three-year-old did not look happy at all. Although he was intrigued by his mothers' work, he was not excited. He didn't want to go somewhere new, not today. He wanted to stay home with his daddy and spend the day with him. Rhodey wanted to watch his favorite movie with him and play his favorite games. He wanted to do all of this before his father left for his new job that would take him far, far away. Where he wouldn't be able to do any of that and barely see him.

No, Rhodey did not like this idea at all.

…

"Tony, wake up."

Tony groaned slightly, before lifting his head and peeking out of the covers. He saw his mother standing in front of him with a smile on her face that he couldn't help but mirror. He loved his mother more than anything else and couldn't imagine his world without her. She was his light, best friend, role-model, and mother. Nothing could destroy the bond they had. Nothing.

"But..."

"Come on, sweetie. You have to get up if you want to go to work with your father. Don't tell me you forgot."

The small genius had completely forgotten! For weeks now, he had waited for the chance to ask his father if he could go with him to Stark International. When he had found him getting ready for bed, his mother had urged him to ask, and that was what he had done.

"Oh yea," Tony said, jumping out of his parents' bed. "Let's go!"

His mother smiled widely. She then held his hand and walked him toward the bathroom so he could freshen up. I just hope Howard doesn't forget that he's there, Maria thought. Tony has been looking forward to this. I pray it isn't ruined.

"All done!"

Maria was pulled out of her thoughts by her son. She put on her I'm-proud-of-you smile and picked Tony up. She carried him over to the closet so he could get dressed.

"Good job! Now let's get you changed and fed. Then you can go with your father."

"Whoo!"

...

Tony and Howard had arrived at Stark International and were currently in the main lobby. Howard led them to the private elevator and they rode it in silence. When the doors opened, they were welcomed by a young female with brown hair and glass who was sitting by a desk next to a huge office that belonged to Howard.

She looked up from her computer to see who it was. When she saw it was only her boss and his son, her shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Good Morning, Trish."

"Morning, sir. Here is your coffee," she said with a smile. "And here is your juice box, Tony, just how you like it."

"Thank you, Twish."

"You're welcome. Oh, sir, the board would like to speak with you. When should I arrange the meeting?"

"I'll meet with them in an hour."

"Understood. Oh, and that lawyer will be here in a little while. Should I send her in immediately or have her wait for you to call her in?"

"Send her in immediately."

Trish nodded in acknowledgment before returning to her computer to make note of the things Howard had requested.

Howard turned to face his son. He reached for his hand and Tony gladly accepted. The inventor cherished his son and couldn't wait for him to grow up. He would take over Stark International and Howard couldn't wait to teach Tony everything he knew. He just hoped the young genius was as excited as he was.

"Come along, Tony. We have a long day ahead of us."

"Okay!"

With that, Howard led him into the huge office, where the day would officially start (For him, anyways).

...

"Rhodey, we're going to be late. Hurry along now."

Young Rhodey reluctantly climbed into the car and into his seat. He did not want to go at all.

"Bye, James," his father said, grinning. "Don't cause your mom any trouble."

Why wasn't his daddy stopping his mother from taking him away. Was he happy that Rhodey was leaving? Did he not want him in the house? Surely that couldn't be the case. Right?

Roberta closed the door to his side and walked over to the driver's seat. Once she was in, the car began to move and as it gained speed, his father was gone from view.

A few minutes passed before anyone spoke.

"Are you excited to learn about what your mommy does?"

"No."

"James, this is an opportunity you should be excited about."

She paused briefly.

"Once you father leaves, I have to hire a sitter so I can continue working. I won't be there when you wake up. I won't be able to play with you or just take you to work, like now. So just try and enjoy this. Okay?"

Rhodey looked at his mother with sad eyes. Was this really how his life would be? He wouldn't see his parents often, much less together? He was only three and his life was changing so quickly. Could he handle this? He would have to ponder this question.

"Okay," he said while nodding. " I'll try to enjoy it. Pwomise."

"Then let's get started."

Rhodey peered out his window to see what his mother had mean't. They had arrived.

* * *

 **What did you guys think? Was it good? Now, I know that some things might not be accurate, but this is FanFiction! It's my story so yea... Though, if I do get several complaints, I will try and make it more accurate.**

 **I am taking chapter requests! So PM me if you have any ideas for the chapters ahead. Not all will be used, just 1 or 2 because I think I have the story planned out.**

 **Chapter 2 will be up in two days! Maybe less.**

 **Oh, keep an eye out for an upcoming story for HTTYD!**

 **Scribbles out! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Just like I promised people! I hope you're excited for this because I think it's a pretty good chapter. Also, I want to thank you guys for the wonderful reviews. They mean a lot to me. A LOT!**

 **I wanted to do Shout-outs but I won't be. I want to hold off on those for now.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 2!**

 **Disclaimer** **: I can't keeping saying it!**

 **Pepper: You better.**

 **Me: I can't...**

 **Pepper: I'm not even in this story! Are just proving that you're even more crueler than I thought? *Starts rambling on and on***

 **Me: FINE! I don't own IMAA!**

 **Pepper: Good.**

* * *

Rhodey unbuckled his seat belt. With his mother's help, he got out.

"Come on, James."

"OK."

The two walked into the lobby of a very tall, tall building. Roberta told him to stay put while she checked in, and that was what he did. A few minutes passed and she came back. She took his hand and they began walking deeper into the building.

"We're going to the top floor, okay?"

The boy nodded and they made their way to the elevator. The ride was smooth and he enjoyed the nice music. When the doors opened, a lady looked up from what she was doing and smiled.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Roberta Rhodes and I'm here to speak with Howard Stark about an issue he needed help with."

"Of course. He is expecting you," She said while quickly checking her computer. "Mr. Stark will see you now. Follow me."

Roberta nodded and did as she was told. The lady opened the door leading into an office that was huge and the two were a little stunned.

Rhodey looked at his mother and said, "It's so cool!"

"It is," she said nodding. "Best behavior, James."

"I know, I know. You can stop telling me now."

They walked in and saw a man at a desk who was looking at some papers, clearly deep in thought. In the right corner of the room, a little boy was sitting with some papers and pencils. He looked like he was writing.

"Sir, Mrs. Rhodes is here."

The man looked up and said, "Oh, thank you, Trish."

The Trish lady left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Uh, sit down Mrs. Rhodes."

He paused briefly and stared at Rhodey. And Rhodey stared right back, clearly a bit annoyed that the man had not offered _him_ a seat. The three year old crossed his arms and tapped his foot. It was as if he was waiting for the elder to realize his mistake.

"If you'd like, your son can join mine over there," he said while gesturing to the corner. "It's up to you."

"That sounds nice. James why don't you go talk to him?"

Rhodey looked at the boy and then at it his mother. He seemed hesitant at first but decided to give it a chance. And anyways, it looked like the man had no intention of offering him a seat.

"Okay," he said after considering it. "I'll go."

Slowly, he walked over to the corner. He sat down next to the kid and looked over at what he was doing. The paper had messy hand-writing and was a little hard to read. It looked like gibberish to him.

Taking a deep breath he spoke, "Hello, I'm James."

The boy looked up from what he was doing and said, "Hi, I'm Tony."

"What's that on the paper?"

"I'm making formulas."

"Sound boring," said Rhodey while sticking his tongue. "Why don't you do something fun?"

"But I like doing this, and it _is_ fun."

"Doesn't look that way."

Tony remained quiet for a moment before speaking again.

"My father always says 'To each their own.'"

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"Oh."

The two sat in silence for a while, neither able to find the right words. These two were opposites. One was clearly a genius and the other was not. So how could these two children possibly get along?

Suddenly, Tony spoke.

"Would you like to twy?"

Rhodey looked at him and shrugged. "Sure."

Tony handed him the paper and pencil. He waited patiently for Rhodey to at least attempt it, but all he saw was the boy trying to comprehend what was already written. Finally, Rhodey handed it back.

"I can't do it. It looks hard."

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Let me teach you."

The young Rhodes pondered whether he should. Would learning this benefit him (He _was_ about to start pre-school)? Would he just get bored and frustrated? Soon, he formulated an answer.

"OK."

So that's what Tony did. Whenever Rhodey found it hard, he'd crack a joke and that would earn him a laugh. Whenever he got stuck, Tony would help. Soon, the two stopped writing and began playing games like hide-and-seek, tag, rock-paper-scissors-shoot, and more.

This had to be the most fun Rhodey and Tony had ever had.

...

Hours passed and soon it was time to leave.

"Let's go, sweetheart."

Rhodey looked up to see his mother in front of him. He stood up from his spot on the ground and turned to say bye to Tony.

"Bye, Tony."

"Bye Rhodey."

"R-Rhodey?" he asked, confused.

"That's your last name right? I turned it into a nickname. I hope that's okay."

Rhodey thought about it momentarily.

"I like it."

Tony smiled, and for the first time today, so did Rhodey.

With that, the Rhodes left the building.

...

"So, did you like playing with Tony?"

"Yea, I did."

"Well, maybe you'll see him again."

Rhodey shifted his attention from the window to his mother.

"What?"

"Mr. Stark is coming over tomorrow for dinner to discuss some matters. I can ask him to bring Tony if you like."

"Can you?" asked Rhodey with a small smile. "I really had fun with him."

"Of course."

"Thanks, mommy."

"Anytime, James."

The rest of the ride home was rode in a comfortable silence. Each lost in their own world.

* * *

 **What did you guys think about Chapter 2? A lot of you guy loved Chapter 1, so I just have to know. I'm trying to make them sound baby-like but if I do, the words don't make sense.**

 **Be on the look out for a second update today! That's if I can stop binge watching all of my favorite shows. XD**

 **No promises though...**

 **Anyway...**

 **Scribbles Out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! It feels like forever but that isn't true. I hope you're excited because I am. Now, this may be a bit short but it's because I didn't know what else to do with it.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 3!**

 **Disclaimer: Do I even need to?**

 **Rhodey: Yea.**

 **Me: Fine...IMAA isn't mine.**

 **Rhodey: That's right.**

 **Me: Why are you still here?**

 ***No answer***

* * *

Rhodey waited patiently for Tony to arrive. When his mother had first presented the idea, he had been super excited, just like now. So, when Tony's father had said yes, he had been very happy.

"Why aren't they here."

"It takes time to get here."

It was taking forever for them to arrive and he was slowly becoming impatient.

"Where are they?"

"James, I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"Well, they better hurry! I'm bored."

Rhodey rolled his eyes as he took a seat on the couch. He was about to turn on the tv when the doorbell rang.

"They're here! They're here!"

Immediately, he jumped off the couch and ran to the door. Rhodey opened the door and smiled brightly.

"Hi, Tony."

"Hey, Rhodey."

Rhodey quickly welcomed them inside and led them to his room so they could get to playing and leave the adults to talk. Once inside the room, they sat the down on the bed.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Well," Rhodey started, " Do you want to play hide-and-seek?"

"Yea! I'll count."

…

"So, Howard, how are you holding up?"

"Well, I've lost millions of dollars and that's not good."

"I'm trying but for some reason, there isn't any evidence of the money being stolen."

Howard sighed while rubbing his temples with his fingers. "There has to be some way to prove that these guys did it."

"Howard," Roberta asked cautiously. "How do you know that they are the ones who stole it?"

"Last time I checked, Gilbert was our trusted money manager. He always talked about how he would love to be so rich. He was also the last person who went to the bank. Plus, the day he went was the same day I lost my money."

"That's your evidence?"

"It is."

"Did you watch the security feed at the bank?"

"Yes. Gilbert was the last one in there. One moment he was in there and then he wasn't. It was like he disappeared. On the security feed, it looked like all the money was there but when we went into the vault..."

There was no need to finish that sentence because both of them already knew what had happened.

"Here," Howard said, sliding a disk out of his pocket, "this is the disk. Maybe after you see it, it will help."

"Thanks."

The two sat in silence for a few moments.

"Let's talk after dinner. I'm sure you and Tony are hungry."

"Sounds like a plan."

Howard moved to get up but Roberta stopped him. She sighed heavily before saying, "Does she know?"

"Not yet."

"Is that smart?"

"It's for the best."

The woman sighed but respected his decision. "Alright then, let's get the boys before dinner gets cold."

...

They all sat at the table. His plate, like the others, had broccoli with steak. It was actually one of his favorites and something that his mother rarely made these days.

"So, Tony, are you having fun with James?"

Tony nodded. "Yes."

"All done," Rhodey said. "Can I go now?"

"Me too!"

Roberta looked at their plates and smiled. "Yes, you can go."

The two cheered and made their way back to his friends' room. Once they arrived, they took out the iPad they had stolen on their journey and began watching videos. Soon enough they got bored and Tony started to program a gaming app. Rhodey stared at him with interest even though he had no clue what the boy was doing. Plus, he was extremely bored. He would just have to wait till it was done.

"Done!"

"Finally!"

Tony handed Rhodey the device and he began testing the game.

"Wow," he said. "This is so cool! How many levels are there?"

"Forty."

"Forty?"

"Yea."

"Tony, you really are a genius!"

"Thanks. I picked it up from my dad. At first I had trouble but then I remembered something my dad said: "Patience is key."

"Sounds wise. What does it mean?"

"No clue."

...

"Well, i'll try my best with this new information, Howard. Though, I can't make any promises."

"Thank you, Roberta."

"It's no problem at all. Oh, and thanks for bring Tony over. Rhodey likes hanging out with him."

"Tony seems to like Rhodey as well."

Howard looked around momentarily before calling his son. Tony arrived fairly quickly with Rhodey hot on his trail. Quickly, the two said their goodbyes to the Rhodes.

"See you, Tony."

"See you, Rhodey."

"Bye, Roberta."

"Bye, Howard."

With that, they left. In the car, Tony slowly said, "Dad, is evewything fine?"

"Of course. What made you think otherwise?"

"James mommy," Tony started, remember that his father didn't know about the nickname, "is a lawyer. I think that means that she defends people and pwoves people wrong."

Howard didn't realize his son knew so much. "Tony, that doesn't mean something is wrong. I just hired her in case something does go wrong."

Tony kept quiet after that. He didn't want to push further because he had a feeling he wouldn't get far.

* * *

 **I hope it was satisfying!**

 **Oh, and my HTTYD story will be called _Jealous Much?_ I couldn't wait for you to find out the title so there it is.**

 **See you next chapter!**

 **Scribbles Out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am NOT dead! I have returned! I'M SO SORRY ABOUT LEAVING YOU GUYS LIKE THAT!**

 **It's just that I wasn't able to get this chapter right. It took me a million tries! I wanted it perfect but it the ideas were just all messed up causing the chapter to not make sense. So, I am truly sorry! I promise that I do love you guys!**

 **Oh, and I now have an updating schedule! It's on my profile so go check it out.**

 **Without further ado, here is Chapter 4!**

* * *

Tony woke up that morning feeling ecstatic. Today was the day he got to spend with Rhodey. A whole day with his new friend! What could be better than that?!

"Don't give Mrs. Rhodes any trouble, Tony. She's as busy as me right now and doesn't need to be distracted. Is that understood?"

The young boy looked up at his father and nodded. He didn't intend to trouble Mrs. Rhodes; he just wanted to play with his friend. "I understand daddy," he said, "I won't disturb her."

"Good." With that, Howard turned and left for work. It was just Tony and his mother for now.

"Sweetie, do you want some breakfast?"

Tony turned around to see his mother standing near the dining table with a plate of French Toast. It looked appetizing. He immediately ran over to her and took a seat at the table. His mother set the plate down and told him a few things before he could touch the food.

"Take your time and chew. Enjoy it! Oh, and remember that you still have to change out of your pajamas before you go."

"Ok! I will!"

"I know." Quickly, she hurried of to attend to something, leaving her son to indulge in his meal.

…

"Rhodey, your room better be clean!"

The young Rhodes looked up from watching morning cartoons, his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

Uh oh.

Swiftly, he turned off the TV and raced into his small, yet cozy room. Rhodey began to lift if toys off the ground and into a trunk labeled _Toys_. Afterwards, he picked up his smelly clothes and dumped them in a pile under his bed. Finally, he picked up his scattered books and placed them under his covers since he couldn't reach the shelves.

As soon as he finished, Mrs. Rhodes strode in and looked around slowly. She smiled at what she saw. A smelly, yet spotless room. She then walked over to her son and handed him a key.

"You may use this to get back into the house if you choose to go outside. You may also use the TV to watch _one_ movie. Understood?"

"Mhm!"

"Now, it's time to get some food in that belly." Slowly, she picked him up and carried him to the breakfast bar. She set him down in a chair and then went into the kitchen to grab his food.

"Alright, here you go."

Rhodey looked down at his plate and made a face. There was bacon and eggs on it. Yuck.

"Eww."

"Now James, how can you possibly say that?"

"I don't want."

"This is what I made so it's what you get."

"But mommy..."

"I won't hear of it." She gave him a stern look and said her final words before leaving. " Make sure to drink your orange juice. Oh, and once you're finished, put on something clean so you're presentable for when Tony arrives."

"Okay..." Rhodey said as he looked back at his plate and sighed. Slowly, he ate the piece of bacon while trying his hardest not to puke.

…

 _DING!_ Rhodey raced toward the door with his mother trailing behind him.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"Calm down, James."

"Open it! Open it!" He cried while jumping up and down.

Sure enough, she did. Immediately Tony raced in and did their secret handshake that they had come up with a couple of weeks ago.

"Hey, Rhodey!"

"Hey, Tony!"

Suddenly, the two took off toward the living room. Roberta watched them until they disappeared. around the corner. When she turned around to face the woman who had dropped Tony off, she was a little stunned to see who it actually was.

"Maria? You're the one who dropped him?"

"Um, yes. Howard was busy and I thought it'd be nice to see you again."

"That's sweet of you. Please do come in."

"Oh, no. I can't right now. I should actually be heading back."

"Are you sure you can't stay? I just put some tea on the stove."

Maria thought about it for a few moments before speaking. "Maybe next time. Howard should come by around six 'o clock to pick Tony up."

"Ok. Well, it was nice seeing you again."

"Same goes for me."

With that, Maria turned and left for home. Roberta watched her until her limo was out of sight and then closed the door. As she made for her home office, she heard a _CLANK_ and then something shatter. She knew exactly who had caused it.

" _BOYS!_ "

…

"We're sorry mommy."

"Yea, super-duper sorry."

At their feet lied a shattered glass vase. Pieces of the broken glass were scattered in a hundred different directions.

"You boys have already broken something! It hasn't even been fifteen minutes! Do you know how long this will take to clean up? One of you could have gotten seriously hurt!"

She paused.

"What am I going to do with you two?" She thought aloud.

"The park!"

Roberta looked at Tony a bit confused. "The park?"

"Well, I've never been there. I thought maybe we could go since we can't really play here now."

"You've never been to the park?!"

All eyes were now on Rhodey because of his sudden outburst.

"Yea. My parents have never taken me."

 _He's never been to the park? That's just wrong. Maybe I should take him._ Roberta pondered this for a moment. At least this way she could clean up the mess without having to worry about the boys. Plus, Tony would finally be able to go to the park for the first time. The only problem was finding someone to take them.

"Alright, but I can't take you. Let's hope Carol is free."

"Carol!"

"Who's Carol?" Tony asked.

"She's the best babysitter in the world! Hurry and call her mommy!"

Within moments, Carol and Roberta were conversing. "So, can you take the boys to the park? It's only an hour and I'll pay you."

" _Sure thing! I'd love to see Rhodey again. It's no problem at all. In fact, I'm already on my way."_

The call ended.

"Well, she's on her way. Why don't you guys go put on your shoes and coats?"

"Ok!" Is what both boys said in unison before running off to do as they were asked.

…

Rhodey had been right. Carol truly was the best babysitter ever! She was so kind and had offered to take them to a small shop to each get cupcakes after the park.

"Tony wanna play Hide-n-Seek?"

"Sure!"

"I'll count, you hide!"

"Ok."

As fast as his legs could carry him, Tony ran over to a bunch of bushes that had different types of flowers in front of them. Quickly, he hid himself behind them, trying to make sure he wasn't visible. Sadly, his efforts were in vain.

"What are you doing?"

Tony turned his head to the right and saw a girl about his age with red hair looking at him curiously. Somehow, he couldn't take his eyes off her. When he realized that she had asked a question, he scrambled for an answer.

"Oh, I'm hiding. Me and my friend are playing Hide-n-Seek."

"Ooh, cool!"

"Shh! You'll give me away."

"Oh," said the girl before crouching down next to him. "sorry."

"It's fine."

"My name is Pat...ric..ia, but you can call me Pepper."

"That's a super long name. I'm Tony."

"So, do you live around here?"

"Yea, it's near that building." Tony said as he pointed to a tall building. "What about you?"

"I don't live here. I'm just staying with my aunt for the winter."

"That's cool."

"I guess. I want to be with the rest of my family but something weird is going on and they didn't want me involved."

"That's strange."

"Tell me about it," she said while making the most hilarious face Tony had ever seen. He had to hold back his laugh. "I think it's all ridiculous."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. My aunt said it once."

"Oh."

There was a comfortable silence between the them. Though, it was soon broken because someone called her name; her aunt, he presumed.

"Well, I have to go. Maybe I'll see you before I leave the city."

"I hope so. It was nice meeting you, Pepper."

"You too, Tony."

Pepper gave him a small hug before running off to her aunt, leaving Tony slightly shocked. A girl he had only known for a few minutes gave him a hug. He felt all warm and fuzzy inside. He watched her form until it was gone from view. Tony truly hoped that he saw again.

…

Needless to say, they had had fun at the park. By the time Carol had dropped them at the Rhodes household, it was time for lunch. They had been served Mac 'n Cheese and it was delicious. Tony would never admit it to anyone but it was better than his mothers'. Tony wiped his whole bowl clean and even asked for a second serving.

Once lunch was over, the two friends decided to watch a movie. They had chosen to watch _Cars 2._ As they watched the movie, Tony's mind wandered back to a certain red-head. He _wanted_ to see her again. She seemed very nice. He wondered if he'd see her before she left New York. He wondered if he would forget her. Hopefully, that would not be the case.

"Tony?"

Tony was snapped back to reality. "Huh?"

"I asked you something."

"Oh," he said feeling a bit dumb. "Sorry. What did you ask?"

"I asked you if you were fine. You seemed to be zoning out."

"Oh. Well, I'm fine. Let's just finish the movie."

"Ok..." Rhodey said a bit skeptically.

As they turned their attention back to the movie, the phone rang. They heard Roberta pick it up in seconds, and soon they found themselves hiding outside her office. The two listened as best the could.

"Ok, I'll tell him. We'll be there in a few moments."

The line cut and Roberta came out of the room only to find her son and his friend right outside.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked nervously.

Roberta took a few moments to respond. It was as if she didn't really want to say it. Finally, she spoke. "Tony, it's your mother. She's in the hospital."

* * *

 **How was it? Was it worth the long wait? Tell me your opinions! Oh and just a reminder: Make sure to check my profile for my updating schedule!**

 **Until next time...**

 **Cya!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! So...I didn't get any reviews but that won't stop me! I will keep writing! But guys, reviews mean a lot to me. They encourage me to keep going. So, please, if you could take a minute or two out of your day to just right a few words for me, that would be amazing. Of course, it doesn't have to be positive. It could be something that I need to improve on.**

 **Anyways, school has started and that's going to mess with my update schedule. I might not be able to update every single Tuesday and Saturday. I will still try my best, though. Thanks for understanding.**

 **Oh, and I am will not upload the first chapter of _Jealous Much?_ until a bit later. I want to focus on this for now. Plus, I will be posting a Harry Potter fanfiction that I hope you guys read because I think it'll be awesome!**

 **Last but not least, do you guys like my new profile pic?**

 **Enough with my ranting...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own it. Still, I wish I did...**

 **Enjoy the Chapter!**

* * *

Maria smiled as she watched her little boy run inside with his friend. He was truly growing up. And sometimes, even though she didn't want to admit it, that scared her. It scared her that Tony might push her away when he grew older. To Maria, he was, and always would be, her little boy.

"Maria? You're the one who dropped him?" Roberta asked. She was pulled out of her thoughts.

"Um, yes. Howard was busy with work, as usual, and I thought it'd be nice to see you again."

"That's sweet of you. Please do come in."

"Oh, no. I can't right now. I should actually be heading back."

"Are you sure you can't stay? I just put some tea on the stove."

Maria thought about it for a few moments before speaking. "Maybe next time. Howard should come by around six 'o clock to pick Tony up."

"Ok. Well, it was nice seeing you again."

"Same goes for me." With that, she turned a left. Once seated in the limo that they had brought, they driver set off towards her home. The ride was quiet for the most part. There was an occasional _honk_ but that was it. It wasn't until they came to a stop that something truly happened.

A pain shot up her abdomen. It was a burning sensation and it stung terrible. She sank down, trying to subdue it. "Gah..."

"Are you ok, ma'am?"

"Oh, um, y-yes."

This wasn't the first time she had experienced this type of pain. She was actually dealing with it quite frequently. It happened when she was sleeping, watching tv, or just doing something in general. So far, Maria hadn't told anyone. It was mainly because she didn't think they were a big deal and there was no reason to worry as it would pass. At least, she hoped she was right.

All too soon, the car pulled up to Stark International. By then the pain had subsided. Quickly, she made her way inside the building, said a few greetings, and headed for the penthouse. As soon as Maria was up there, she made her way to the kitchen to grab something to eat.

"Maria? Did you already drop Tony?"

She whirled around to find Howard standing in front of the elevator with a small smile on his face and his hands full of paper. She figured they were forms for something her was building.

"I did."

Suddenly, the pain shot through her abdomen again. Maria clutched the counter in order to steady herself. Unfortunately, her husband saw this and concern flooded his face. Howard ran over to her side and held her back by the shoulders.

"Maria, are you ok?"

"Y-yes..."

Howard gave her a stern look. He didn't believe her. Most times, when she tried to lie, he saw straight through them. And he saw straight through this one.

"Tell me what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Howard. I'm fine."

"Maria..."

As she was about to speak, without warning, she collapsed in his arms.

…

Tony was sitting by his mothers' side, watching her for any signs of movement. His father was outside, along with Roberta and Rhodey, talking to the doctor about her condition. From what Tony had been told when he had arrived, she wasn't doing so well. She was sick, like, extremely sick.

Suddenly, Howard came in and walked over to Tony. He sat down next to him and wore a sad smile on his face, knowing he had to be strong for his sons' sake.

"Tony, Roberta has offered to let you stay at her place for the time being. In a few minutes, you'll go out there and head off. Ok?"

The three-year-old couldn't believe this! He was being sent away from his mother. The only person he wanted to be with right now? He was utterly shocked, but it was slowly turning into anger.

"No."

Howard, who had turned to watched Maria, whipped his head to the side in order to face Tony. "Excuse me?"

"I said no."

"Son, you will listen to me. My word is final. I will not have you stay here over night when you can sleep in a cozy bed away from all of this."

"Mommy needs me though!" he protested. "I have to stay so she gets better!"

Howards' gaze turned soft and an honest smile graced his lips. "She will get better, ok? But you won't be helping her by not getting sleep. I promise you can come back in the morning, alright?"

Tony pondered this for a moment. What his father said was true; he would be more helpful to his mommy if he got some sleep so he could be fully active. With a nod, he came to his decision.

"Okay."

"That's a good son," Howard said as he ruffled the boys' hair. "Roberta is waiting outside. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

Tony nodded, gave his father a hug, and then turned to his mother to whisper something to her. "I'll be back." And with that, he left the room and was on his way home with Roberta and Rhodey to get a good nights' sleep.

As they were about to reach the Rhodes residence, Roberta asked him a question. "Are you going to be alright, Tony?"

Tony looked at her as he pondered this. His mother was going to be okay because she was strong and he knew she'd pull through. He just had to be patient and wait. After a few moments had passed, he smiled and answered the question he had been asked.

"Yea, I think I will."

That was his honest answer and he was confident with it because everything would work out in the end. He couldn't wait to see his mother again.

And that night, Tony had slept like a baby.

* * *

 **What did you guys think? Next time, be ready for a super long chapter. :3**

 **Until next time my fellow readers...**

 **Scribbles Out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Guys, right now, I've lost all my files so I have been working hard to recover them. I'm so sorry that I haven't udpated. The next update for this will happen this Friday. You will get 2 or 3 chapters from me as an apology and thank you for sticking by me. Again, sorry for the inconvience. Let's hope I can recover everything I lost.**

 **See you soon and with lots of love,**

 **Scribbles The Vixen.**


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